An Extinguished Flame
by HoneyBadgerGal
Summary: In which Sebastian commits the most heinous action, William T. Spears becomes undone, and Grell Sutcliff is no more. Rated T for the blood and slight language. Warning Character death. Just a one-shot.


**A little one shot I thought up. I do not own these characters!~ **

"I see you have managed to make even more of an unsightly mess out of Mr. Sutcliff." William T. Spears shifted his bright green gaze almost lazily to the bloody red reaper in question.

Grell Sutcliff was quite a mess to behold, limbs set limp at odd angles, unmoving on the filthy ground of a London alleyway. Long bright locks framed his pale face which held a blank expression like flames around the sun. His usually unflawed skin, white as the finest porcelain, was splattered with the crimson liquid adored so much by the man. Only, this fluid was his, instead of some poor mortal victim to the caress of his gaudy reaping tool. Speaking of said tool, it was at that time lodged deeply into Sutcliff's chest, placed there by no other than the reaper's self-confessed love.

"Honestly, demon, I never expected you to go to such gruesome lengths on your own terms. Does your master have such a loose grip on your leash that you may go murdering and devouring the souls of others?"

The demonic butler of the Phantomhive manor by the name of Sebastian smiled politely as if he had not mutilated and feasted upon a man just minutes ago. The expression gracing his features was bordering that of smug satisfaction. Despite the insult projected at him, his apparent good mood faltered none.

"Indeed my young master did not directly order this attack. However, included in his orders was to eliminate anyone who would interfere with my mission. This," an idle gesture to Grell's body "got in the way, therefore I was left with no other choice but to dispose of it. I assure you that I did not attack simply for the sake of eating an uncultivated soul like that. I am sure you understand, Mr. Spears, that it was not personal".

A scowl was etched deeply into the reaper's face, cracking his usually stoic expression into that which came close to resembling anger. "By murdering a grim reaper in my branch of the Shinigami Dispatch Society, not to mention guzzling down his soul, you have most certainly made the situation deeply personal. This deed cannot go unpunished" With stiff movement he adjusted his spectacles. "I plan to deliver punishment upon you to the fullest extent possible. You will compensate greatly for this act, demon shit." Not one to curse unless he truly meant it, the words dripped from William's mouth with deadly poison.

Callously indifferent to the threat of the other, Sebastian looked down at the lifeless form of the once flamboyant creature. With a white gloved hand he gently gripped the chainsaw of 'DEATH!~', pulling the thing out with little effort. A wet sound was heard as more scarlet fluid fell haphazardly onto the already stained pavement surrounding the body.

"He was rather fond of this, wasn't he? I am guessing you would like it back." Giving a shake to remove a bit more blood, the demon tossed the scythe at William who caught it by the blade using only one hand.

The feeling of the item in his grasp was surreally strange, yet all the same attractive. Adjusting his hold to the handle, the instrument of reaping felt weighted in his hand, much different from his own light weight extendable. Yet somehow, gripping the raucous equipment felt right. William had to admit, the unauthorized modified scythe was of respectable quality. The frame was strong, the details quite lovely. It was a pretty toy. He could then realize why Sutcliff had favored it so and gotten so overly upset when it was taken from him.

Grell Sutcliff… the name was deniably sad for him to think of. William's fingers constricted around the handle, strangling it as if it was the throat of the demon he so desperately wished to exterminate. The reaper who he had known since training at the academy, who had pestered him and flirted with him relentlessly for years, would do so no more. The flaming red had been snuffed out by the dastardly black.

"I never expected to see you upset about the death of Grell Sutcliff." Sebastian's velvety voice broke through William's mourning thoughts. "Was he not a bother to you as well?"

"Mr. Sutcliff may have had his moments of obnoxiousness, but he was a dear friend of mine. I cared deeply for him. How dare you call him a bother?" His voice was becoming undone, a vicious snarl compared to his ever-calm drone.

"If you had truly cared so deeply for him, I believe you would have told him of those tender emotions while he was still living, yes?" The present smirk on the butler's lips infuriated William more than he had ever felt. The demon was mocking him as if it were just another one of his games.

"Forming a relationship of that type with Mr. Sutcliff would have been unprofessional" he shot back defensively. Without meaning to he played right into the other's hands.

"So you chose lonely nights and being professional to the moments of pleasure you could have gotten?" Sebastian gave a slight tilt of his head, as if genuinely curious. "You are certainly a miserable type of man, Mr. Spears".

The clawed tip of William's death scythe was but a blur when it extended squarely at the demon's chest. It was of course easily avoided with a graceful jump to the right. "I honestly thought you better than this" Sebastian chided mockingly. His eyes suddenly shone their inhuman true colour, an almost hypnotic fuchsia. The reaper attacked again, this time the scythe aimed more so for the butler's lower abdomen. This was dodged carelessly as well, leaping to the top of a building that made the alley.

William growled in frustration from the ground below, attempting to assault the devil again and again. He was getting angry, and angry meant sloppy. Each attack was more off target than the last, to the point Sebastian stopped evading them. The usually stoic man was becoming completely undone, practically frothing at the mouth. He was enraged at Sebastian for doing such a thing to poor Grell Sutcliff who was lying dead on the ground, furious at Grell for never listening to him about going after that deceitful thing of darkness. Most of all he was angry at himself. As he desperately tried to impale his enemy with his weapon, William hated his own very existence. Perhaps if he had not been so pompous and cold towards Grell, if he had returned the other's advances, then maybe Grell would have left the Phantomhive butler alone. Maybe then both reapers could have spent the nights in each other's arms, instead of alone and yearning for company. But it was most defiantly too late for that then.

"I kindly suggest that you stop this immediately, Mr. Spears. I have no time to spend on pathetic efforts from a wretched creature like you. Honestly, that redheaded fool could fight more efficiently than this." Once again Sebastian's voice like poisoned honey flowed through the darkened alley. It broke William's stupor of rage, allowing him to collect for just one moment. A moment was all it took for the odds to be just right for attack. The cocky demon had let his guard down, thinking that the reaper would not be able to muster proper aim. He thought wrong.

With a great, superhuman force William vaulted himself into the air. His own scythe in his right hand was extended at the black butler's stomach. Obvious arrogance in his movements, Sebastian darted smoothly to the left. This was anticipated by the reaper, who with a mighty swing brought Grell's own death scythe down on the other's shoulder. Though the weapon was not running on the motor as it usually was and therefore unable to do much damage, the vigor of the swing sufficiently stunned the demon to the point he had no time to move away as William extended his scythe a final time. The pierced tip of it speared into Sebastian's chest exactly in the shadowed, empty cavity where his heart would be.

William knew full well that his stab to the 'heart' would not kill the demon in any way. Demons had no souls, therefore could not be reaped. What William was after was not the death of Sebastian, but a glimpse of his cinematic records. From the events of the day the records would surely become more interesting.

In a great flash of white light the phantom records streamed gracefully from the wound. Upon inspecting closely William could see flashes of the butler's life, all mundane and unimportant. Then a figure of ruby colour swept into the memories. It was none other than Grell Sutcliff with his glorious mane of hair, hopping eagerly around the demon in a desperate attempt for attention. In a blink the scene turned violent, Sebastian snatching away the beloved scythe. The movie of it cut off in a glimpse of blood and steel. The bright light faded to blackness.

"I hope you are satisfied with what you have seen." The demon spoke in a barely audible voice on the ground where he laid.

"Indeed I am. I give you thanks for the cooperation". William took a cloth from his pocket to clean off the blade of his scythe. "Do not get me wrong here, demon, I will have my revenge on you and it will be done in the most professional sense".

Sebastian got up slowly from the ground, brushing off invisible specks of dirt from his pressed slacks. "I will surely look forward to that day Mr. Spears, but for now I must carry out my young master's wishes. I could not allow them to go unfulfilled. You see, I am simply one hell of a butler" Without another remark he leaped away in a flutter of black tailcoat.

William landed on the ground softly in front of the red reaper's body. Grell looked morbidly lovely with his slender body drenched in the bright colour. He always had looked best in red. Tears formed rapidly in William's eyes as he finally let himself go. Limbs heavy with the weight of such grief, he fell to his knees, hunched over the cadaver.

"Why didn't you listen to me?" His voice was an anguish filled wail directed at unhearing ears. "Why, damn you!? Why…?" Wrapping his arms around Grell, William rocked him back and forth in a loving embrace. If only he had been able to do this while the reaper was alive. If only he hadn't been such a coward with his emotions, if only, if only!

William felt a sudden cold run over him. The chill licked down his spine and numbed his hands; it froze his lungs and crept unbearably over his skin. He realized why he was feeling the iciness like he was. The brilliant red flame in his life had been extinguished. William wondered if he would ever feel warmth again.

**Some reviews would be greatly appreciated. **

**Thank you for taking the time to read.**


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